With oil prices going up, even the mighty state sponsored ICR Japanese whaling fleet is having difficult finding fuel. 
Actually the problem is that they don't have a refueling ship for an extended stay in the Antarctic. The old one was sold and Kyodo Senpaku can't find a replacement. Greenpeace claims they can't find a replacement due to the lack of refueling ships willing to be associated with the internationally contentious issue of whaling, but it may just be a budgetary issue since everyone has had to cut down expenses.
In the spirit of escalation, the Japanese Coast Guard will be stationing armed personnel on the whaling vessels again.
